It is now several months since the last Victorious Endeavours Salon in November at Woods Brasserie and as promised I plan to host a new season for 2012. Reflecting on the first ten events the model worked but certainly the cost became an issue for some of my sophisticated attendees. Work is harder to come by for the freelance professional as I can personally testify so May will see the launch of Tapas at Twilight; a nice sophisticated twist on the Salon.

Moving away from the two course light supper I shall be offering, upstairs at Bar One in the Wales Millennium Centre, tapas i.e. nice substantial nibbles and wine of course. The central theme of treating oneself being sacrosanct! The theme for the 10th May Salon will be a two pronged affair: Philippa Davies aka Mrs Motivator will be talking about her forthcoming novel set during the 1984/85 miners’ strike and bringing us up to 2009. Pippa will be talking about the research she did when writing The Gritties – and how its themes of isolation, sexual awakening and betrayal, still hold relevant today.

The Gritties takes Pippa into new territory with her first novel and feisty female characters – with only a slight prod the author will gleefully read an appropriate passage or two to tantalise the listener. How much is fact and how much is fiction is the question? The novel will be available for pre-order at the Salon – I may prepare a pre-order form that Pippa can autograph for you (and you can stick in the front of the item once it arrives). Must ask her how an e book can be autographed…

The second equally delicious element of the evening will be the launch of my latest Victorious Endeavour. Countless readers of the Contemporary Spinster’s carefully crafted musings have said ‘you really should write a book’ and as you know I’m a sucker for flattery (grasping the seldom dribbled morsels with both hands cheap as I am). So I’ve decided to write a series of short books; remember the ones Penguin published some years ago for 60p? Cute little orange numbers that fit neatly in the most diminutive of handbags or pocket (without creating an unsightly VPL bulge).

The Contemporary Spinster is using the Brownie Badge as a platform for tackling the Big Society. Each story or novelette will be focused on a Brownie Badge suitably updated for 2012. An unlikely homage to Lady Baden Powell as these badges will be most definitely be naughty rather than nice! And here is where you come in sophisticated ladies; I need your creative ideas for new refreshed brownie badges; how might the Contemporary Spinster lend a hand? OK its Brownie’s who lend a hand but please bear with me…

You will not be surprised to hear that the Contemporary Spinster is a Queens Guide. Not someone who is minded to guide the Queer Old Dean around in her dotage but one who (some 25 plus years ago) received the Queens Guide Award. Somewhere in the eves of my parental home is my Guide Blanket with all my badges sewn neatly on it. As I recall I fashioned the grey blanket with red and green stripes into a poncho; and although said garment has become a stylish wardrobe addition of late I shall be hoping the moths have saved me from ever having to sport that particular number again!

With a nod to the Big Society initiative of this Coalition Government I thought the Contemporary Spinster could harness her random acts of kindness productively through the channelling of the brownie badge. So what tasks should the badges seek to tackle? The Salon will set each table the challenge of coming up with their perfect Brownie Badge: the name and the tasks to be tallied up on the score board.

Ideas thus far: Silvering the Surfer- helping the older lady to get on line: an email address, shopping for groceries, browsing for a blouse, signing a petition, perhaps lobbying an AM or MP and heaven knows the ground rules for Chatroom etiquette. This one has the potential to be a creative arachnopod – by which I mean not only does it have legs it has eight legs!

And how about negotiating with trades people, switching utilities and second life – friendship, companionship and canoodling once one’s life partner has passed on or been passed over on grounds of being simply too tedious. I shall use the badges as the basis for each story/novelette and embellish with my usual aplomb!

Alongside this endeavour look out for Bedtime Stories for Big Girls – how would you like to hear a short story just before lights out? Read in an engaging soothing style by yours truly, a Enid Blyton meets Ms Summers adventure with trials, tribulations and an sliver of titillation familiar to the 2012 sophisticated lady? Downloadable audio files, podcasts, on an individual or perhaps a subscription basis. Affordable light relief to send you into the fluffy cloud filled slumberland with a smile on your perfect lips! Fancy that ladies? Your ideas will be invited in due course.

So if you fancy coming along to Bar One (Wales Millennium Centre) for the Tapas at Twilight Salon on the 10 May 2012 (6.30 – 8.30 pm) with guest Phillippa Davies please do contact me at victoriousendeavours@gmail.com to book a place (tickets will be £15 per person).